Hon Marama Davidson

Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence

Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence Marama Davidson has approved five funding grants to support national-level family violence and sexual violence prevention initiatives for LGBTQIA+ people, disabled people, older people and new migrant communities.

“Local community initiatives are a key lever in reducing violence. The Government recognises that we need to better connect with and empower communities to prevent violence through culturally appropriate resources and programmes, and proven ways of developing safe, healthy relationships.”

“Community-based initiatives are proven to help prevent family violence and sexual violence. A total of $1.578 million will go towards developing resources, raising awareness, and expanding local programmes for people with different needs and experiences of violence in their communities,” said Marama Davidson.

The funding provides:

• $399,000 for LGBTQIA+ centred violence prevention initiatives, including the development of practice guidelines, healthy relationships and consent resources, and an awareness raising campaign

• $350,000 to mobilise disabled communities to begin the process of addressing systemic barriers faced by tāngata whaikaha, deaf and other disabled people, implement the Safeguarding Framework and grow and strengthen the Safeguarding Adults From Abuse (SAFA) response in the Waitematā to safeguard adults at risk

• $242,000 for new violence prevention initiatives for ethnic communities, including the expansion of the Shama community development programme to six new locations and the expansion of Let’s Talk, plus the development of community conversations and healthy relationship resources

• $200,000 to support the violence prevention needs of older people.

• $250,000 to build relationships and capacity for diverse communities to engage with Joint Venture agencies

• $137,500 for Community Advisory Groups established by Massey University Center for Culture-Centered Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE) to develop localised violence prevention initiatives and frameworks in five locations.

“We will not eliminate violence if we focus solely on response, which is why we are developing the prevention and healing components to stop violence from happening in the first place.

“This work is part of a $2 million commitment from Budget 2019 to understand violence prevention needs and develop violence prevention initiatives in rainbow, new migrant, disabled, at risk and older people over two years.

Since late 2020, Joint Venture agencies have been working with Massey CARE co-design specialists to develop understanding of violence prevention needs and violence prevention programmes in diverse communities and to build relationships with these communities.

Throughout the first half of 2021, CARE undertook over 200 in-depth interviews with members of diverse communities. The report developed from this engagement, available on violencefree.govt.nz, builds on our understanding of the violence prevention needs of diverse communities and makes recommendations for further work to address those needs. In parallel, Joint Venture agencies developed relationships with national networks for rainbow and disability communities.

Today’s announcement comes ahead of the launch of the first ever National Strategy for eliminating family violence and sexual violence, which incorporates insights from extensive public engagement across Aotearoa New Zealand in May-June 2021. This public engagement included working with diverse communities, building on the initial work undertaken with these communities so far. The National Strategy will be launched on 7 December and builds on the voices and experiences of diverse communities and other priority cohorts.

“We have heard from many groups including Tangata whenua, LGBTQIA+ communities, ethnic communities, Pacific peoples, older people, male survivors, disabled people, tamariki and rangatahi that they lack visibility, services and supports. We will continue working to understand the issues for these population groups and identify solutions in partnership with communities,” Marama Davidson said.

“We have strong aspirations for the wellbeing of our nation and to address violence in our homes and communities. This violence prevention work, and the mahi and voices of people and communities throughout Aotearoa New Zealand reflect these aspirations.”

© Scoop Media